HelghastKillzone: The Winter 2019 season of anime was pretty good, wasn’t it? It was filled with great adaptations, amazing animation work, hyped sequels, brand new movie releases from major franchises and the reimagining of old IPs. When it comes to the upcoming spring season though… I fear that it just won’t be as good as these last three months. We’ll give you our thoughts on what interests us but from a curious glance at the numbers from MAL and the PVs shown so far, it is certainly looking thin on hit shows.

Mario: Spring 2019 can also be seen as the season where the three arguably MOST INNOVATIVE auteurs working in anime today are releasing their new works. Shinichiro Watanabe, Masaaki Yuasa, Kunihiko Ikuhara… they all have changed the anime industry in some ways, and it’s unavoidable that their new works will be hyped to the sky.

This also marks the first time where Aidan steps down from editing this preview, so in a way, this is our first real collaborative effort for this type of post. Personally, doing this preview reminds me how much of a pain it is to run through these things. So we offer our gratitude for old man Aidan for giving his opinions on shows that we will eventually forget ever existed. As it stands, I’m not too sure if we will keep this format for upcoming seasons, but rest assured that we, the writers here, will come up with a more suitable format that still benefits you readers.

For this edition Helghast and I are also doing the Movie Preview section. Due to the nature of movie release, many films we preview below won’t be available to us for a good 6-months, or in some cases, a whole year, so this preview serves more as putting these titles into your radar. Keep in mind that this isn’t a comprehensive list (nor do we intend to make one), the list below is merely anime movies that we believe have some merits for you to check out. In the end, a whooping 13 titles are previewed for this season alone, just to say how the anime industry has been more concentrated to theatrical releases more than ever.

Again, sorry for the late post. If you are looking forward to certain shows this upcoming season, make your voice heard by either voting in the two lovely polls below or leaving a comment.

 

The sequels/shorts we don’t care about

Araiya-san! Ore to Aitsu ga Onnayu de!? (softcore short)
Aikatsu Friends! Kagayaki no Jewel (sequel)
B Rappers Street (kiddie)
Bakumatsu: Crisis (sequel)
Beyblade: Burst Gachi (kiddie)
Bungou Stray Dogs 3 (sequel)
Chou Kadou Girl ⅙ (short)
Duel Masters!! (kiddie)
Diamond no Ace: Act II (sequel)
Han-Gyaku-Sei Million Arthur 2 (sequel)
Joshi Kausei (short)
Kedama no Gonjiro (kids)
KING OF PRISM -Shiny Seven Stars- (sequel)
Midara na Ao-chan wa Benkyou ga Dekinai (short)
Nande Koko ni Sensei ga!? (short)
Nobunaga-sensei no Osanazuma (short)
Rilakkuma and Kaoru-san (kiddie)
Senryuu Shoujo (short)
The iDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls Climax Season (short)
World Witches Series 501: Butai Hasshinshimasu! (short)
Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki (short)
Yousei Chiitan (kiddie)

Series we don’t care about

Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai

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Studio: Arvo Animation/ Silver
Director: Yoshiaki Iwasaki
Script/Series composer: Gou Zappa
Source: Manga
Yuiga Nariyuki tutors three genius of different subjects in highschool to get a scholarship. Furuhashi Fumino is a genius on literature but horrible in math, Ogata Rizu is a genius on mathematics and science but literature and arts are terrible subjects for her and Takemoto Uruka is a genius in the athletic field but really bad in all the others. Together, they study very hard and want to get better at their worst subjects while Fumino and Ogata wants to go to college and work on these subjects for life.

Aidan: Well for this one let me ask you something. Do you remember Nisekoi? That manga and Shaft anime which had the internet fighting an endless waifu war over a series which was nothing but vapid harem antics that never led anywhere? A series born from a mangaka whose more interesting works like Double Arts got axed and just decided to make the most generic thing he could as a joke that became ridiculously successful? Well this series isn’t really related to that author but let me tell you that this is the new Nisekoi. Oh it starts with some promise of story and is even interesting to a degree. But make no mistake that much like To Love RU and Nisekoi, that story just evaporates and we are left with the harem girl of the week formula where each girl is given a momentary pedestal to give the impression that she’s somehow gonna get this guy only to be brushed aside by next chapter. The endless purgatory continues until the author finally decides to end it or stops getting paychecks. You may find some value in its opening episodes, readers, but take it from someone who read long into the series, this is just a waste of time.

Hachigatsu no Cinderella Nine

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Studio: TMS Entertainment
Director: Susumu Kudou
Script/Series composer: Jin Tanaka
Source: Video Game
In the game, the player takes the role of an unnamed former little senior league baseball ace who lost his or her baseball career after suffering an unspecified injury. The character moves to his or her grandmother’s hometown and enrolls in the local high school, resolved never to enter the world of baseball again. When the character meets Tsubasa Arihara, he or she is persuaded to be the manager of the school’s baseball team, and to take the team to the high school nationals at Koshien.

Mario: Do you know which series this premise reminds me of? Moshidora, which was about a high school girl who applies a “management” book into baseball team management. The problem, as with so many game adaptations, is the “unnamed former baseball ace” right there in the summary. If the main character is a blank page with no personality, we don’t have any reason to care for the story. The whole “I hate this sport but I love this sport” saga has been done to death before, and the visuals are nothing special. On top of that we have a staff with little to no experience and this anime is a mobile gacha adaptation. Don’t put too much faith on this one.

Jimoto ga Japan

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Studio: N/A
Director: Isamu Ueno
Script/Series composer: N/A
Source: Manga
There’s a new tough guy transfer student in Tokyo. His name is Tokio and he’s raring to see how scrappy the locals are. But when he comes face-to-face with a Japan-obsessed red-haired kid that won’t leave him alone until he tells him exactly what prefecture he’s from, his life takes a turn for the crazy! This kid isn’t just Japan obsessed, he’s developed a martial art based on all the different prefectures in the country!

Wooper: This one is a total wild card. Based on a gag manga that started running in Shounen Jump only six months ago, Jimoto ga Japan is receiving an adaptation that’s likely being rushed to capitalize on its already-waning popularity. No studio has been announced, the PV features amateurish Flash animation, and it’s probably going to end up as a half-length series (though not enough details have been released for us to make that call). As if those three strikes weren’t enough, its humor will likely be impenetrable for gaijin onlookers, since it’s based on regional differences between Japan’s 47 prefectures. I did a cursory Google search for the manga to preview its first few chapters, but could only find raws, most of which involved the pompadoured martial artist chasing another character, both of them making funny faces as they sprinted in circles. Jimopan has a lot stacked against it, but the redhead’s character design is packed with charm, from his ridiculous haircut to the insane hip action in his poses, so if they attach a really good seiyuu to the project, we might be looking at an ultra-Japanese Hetalia for the modern era. (But seriously, this is going to be a forgettable cash grab.)

Kenja no Mago

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Studio: Silver Link
Director: Masafumi Tamura
Script/Series composer: Tatsuya Takahashi
Source: Light Novel
A young man is reborn in another world where he is adopted as a baby by the hero Merlin Wolford and named Shin. By his 15th birthday, Shin has accumulated all kinds of power by studying under Merlin, but one thing his adoptive grandfather didn’t give him was a lick of common sense.

Mario: Ahh, I knew this day would come. An anime that embraces the two worst Light Novel adaptation trends in recent years: isekai and Magical High School. When you combine those two sub-genres, they have a lot in common. First, the protagonist Shin is not only overpowered since day one, he also has the knowledge of an adult. Second, tropey characters pop up everywhere. The visuals are alright so fans of isekai will probably enjoy this. The director only has one show under his belt (Ange Vierge), but it’s the series composer who might give you a good idea of the show’s quality, as he’s responsible for Beatless, Eromanga-sensei, Rewrite – all of them are hot messes. This might not be edgy enough to offend anyone, so if you like your isekai fix of the season then this one’s for you.

Kono Oto Tomare!

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Studio: Platinum Vision
Director: Ryouma Mizuno
Script/Series composer: Ayumu Hisao
Source: Manga
Since the graduation of the senior members of the club, Takezou ends up being the sole member of the “Koto” (traditional Japanese string instrument) club. Now that the new school year has begun, Takezou will have to seek out new members into the club, or the club will become terminated. Out of nowhere, a new member barges into the near-abandoned club room, demanding to join the club. How will Takezou be able to keep his club alive and deal with this rascal of a new member?

Mario: I read the first chapter of the source and it was your typical gathering-up members for a distinct club. I don’t mind the subject of a Koto club (it does make quite a nice sound), but the main distraction so far is the main character who appears to be too plain, and the plot is full of contrived moments. Platinum Vision is a new studio with nothing of note, and it says something that you can’t even find any details regarding the director. The character art of the manga looks rather nice (which for me is the best element of the manga based on what I’ve read), but sadly the anime designs look unremarkable.

Mayonaka no Occult Koumuin

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Studio: LINDENFILMS
Director: Tetsuya Watanabe
Script/Series composer: Tatsuto Higuchi
Source: Manga
Miyako Arata is newly assigned to the Shinjuku Ward Office’s Nighttime Regional Relations Department. Each of Tokyo’s 23 wards has one such department, established to mitigate paranormal and occult-related events. Arata’s special skill is the understanding of non-human speech, and the story begins with him encountering a youkai at Shinjuku Gyoen park who refers to him as the legendary Heian-era exorcist, Abe no Seimei.

Mario: The concept itself doesn’t bring anything new to the table. It’s the usual conflict between human vs supernatural where our main dude is the key to connect between these two worlds. What makes its slightly more memorable is its strong sense of setting, as it’s set in Shinjuku and happens mostly at nighttime (hence the title). The director was behind Schwarzesmarken and Soukou no Strain, which are unmemorable at best. The visual looks okay but I don’t think it has enough personality to stand out from the pack.

Namu Amida Butsu!: Rendai Utena

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Studio: Asahi Production
Director: Akira Oguro
Script/Series composer: Erika Yoshida
Source: Video Game
The pain that everyone cannot escape when living: the living, old, sick, and death. The way to save it is through Buddhist enlightenment. At the end of a war, a prince who obtained the Buddhist enlightenment became the Shaka Nyorai and saved the world. Long time has passed since that, currently the latter age of decadence. Mara, the worry that once tried to destroy Shaka’s enlightenment, has made a contract with the devil in order to seek revenge against Shaka. He begins to control people with worries.
Meanwhile, a team centering around Shaka, called the Thirteen Buddhas, and the two benevolent deities who protect the dharma, Taishakuten and Bonten, who stood up to fight against Mara to protect people from worries. A battle between Mara and the Buddhist gods that involves people begins now!

Mario: The hot boy anime of the season in a historical setting. All I can see from the PV is slideshow shots of more than dozen boys, and of course they are the 13 Thieves Buddhas. The studio is low-tier, the director is a newbie. Get me outta here.

RobiHachi

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Studio: Studio Comet
Director: Shinji Takamatsu
Script/Series composer: Hiroko Kanesugi
Source: Original
Neo Tokyo, the year G.C. (Galaxy Century) 0051, which marks a half century since first contact was made. Humans have obtained super light-speed navigation technology and formed a commonwealth of planets with aliens. A streak of bad luck is continuing for self-proclaimed freelance reportage writer Robby Yarge, who is around 30 years old. He fails at work, so his contract is cut. His girlfriend leaves him, he nearly dies in a traffic accident, and debt collectors come after him.

One day, a bag snatcher steals Robby’s bag, and a young man helps him. Hatchi Kita, an 18-year-old part-time worker, catches the criminal and returns Robby’s bag. Robby offers him his gratitude and a meal in return. The pair discover they are complete opposites and soon part ways.

However, Hatchi turns up again in Robby’s life as a debt collector. Hatchi explains that it’s his part-time job working for the loan shark Yan. A cat-and-mouse chase begins, and Yan’s Finance president Yan takes his subordinates Aro and Gra along for the ride. Robby manages to elude Hatchi and escape to space while shaking off Yan’s group. Robby thinks of escaping to Isekandar, a distant and legendary planet in the Milky Way that is said to bring happiness to those who go there. Though Robby thought he had escaped to space alone, he discovers Hatchi inside his spaceship. The two decide to travel across the galaxy together in search of Isekandar.

Mario: From the director of Gintama and Grand Blue, we have a buddy adventure comedy with a futuristic setting. The synopsis over-explains the plot to the point I believe this is the plot of its entire first episode. Judging from the director’s resume he’s more than capable of making slapstick silly comedy and this looks to be in the same vein. Sadly, I don’t enjoy the visuals in the PV, nor the production values. With a setting this rich, there’s a lot of opportunity for expanding its worldbuilding so I hope it won’t get too hung up on the plot. Expect it to have the same cool vibe of Double Decker, with less attractive visuals and more… lame puns?

Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san

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Studio: Doga Kobo
Director: Tomoaki Koshida
Script/Series composer: Yoshiko Nakamura
Source: Manga
The everyday life of Nakano, a salaryman working for an exploitative company, is suddenly intruded upon by the Kitsune, Senko-san (800 Years Old – Young Wife). Whether it be cooking, cleaning, or a special service…She’ll heal his exhaustion with her tender care.

Wooper: Get yourself an 800 years young wife and get to procreating, you sexless bunch of subhuman otaku. I’m Shinzo Abe and I approve this message.

Shoumetsu Toshi

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Studio: MADHOUSE
Director: Shigeyuki Miya
Script/Series composer: Shingo Irie
Source: Video Game
One day a town is annihilated. Yuki is a young woman who is said to be the only person left alive from the town after the annihilation, and Takuya is a loner and a smuggler. Together, with the letter left by Yuki’s father, they go toward the town, now called Lost, but unexpected obstacles stand in their path. The thoughts of those left behind, secret and mysterious organizations, and hidden conspiracies await Yuki and Takuya as they move closer toward the mystery behind Lost.

Mario: Well, I have to say the poster and the premise got me interested… until I found out that this is based on a mobile game. Looking at the PV, it reminds me a fair bit of last year’s Caligula, a series where I didn’t care one iota about its characters. By the same token, I have a similar vibe regarding the characters who appeared in this PV. Although it’s a Madhouse product, the director was responsible for Blood Lad and Bokura wa Minna, so if you’re like me then it doesn’t really mean much. The show will have to depend on the strength of the leads’ chemistry, and whether the case they solve is interesting enough. I say keep an eye on the first episode but don’t expect too much from it.

Series we’re middling on

7 Seeds

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Studio: Gonzo
Director: Yukio Takahashi
Script/Series composer: Touko Machida
Source: Manga
In the immediate future, a giant meteorite has collided with earth. All living organisms, including mankind, have been wiped off the face of the planet. The government, who had foreseen this outcome, took measures to counter the worst-case scenario. In particular was Project “7SEEDS,” in which five sets of seven young men and women were carefully selected and placed into teams (Spring, Summer A, Summer B, Autumn and Winter). Each participant was then put under cryogenic sleep in hopes of preserving the continued existence of mankind.
When those men and women awoke, they found themselves suddenly thrust into a cruel world. While bereft and grieved over forever losing their loved ones, they sought to find ways to survive.

Mario: It’s a wicked combination that we have here: a sci-fi meets shoujo story. While post-apocalyptic settings are amongst my favorites, the shoujo touch can be a double-edged sword. The femininity of shoujo doesn’t usually mesh well with the harsh themes of survival or killing, but from what I have read the source blends it very well. There’s a reason why 7 Seeds’ manga is widely considered as one of shoujo’s modern classics despite the fact that it’s still ongoing (and from what I gathered, hasa only reached the midway point of the story). The worrying part, then, is the adaptation itself. Gonzo is basically a shell of their former glory at this point. They’re still an ambitious studio, they just don’t have the resources to deliver it. The fact that this one has been pushed back 2 months due to “production issues” doesn’t bring much confidence, either. As of now, I would say read the manga rather than watch the anime, but I’m willing to check it out based on the strength of the source alone.

Fairy Gone

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Studio: P.A Works
Director: Kenichi Suzuki
Script/Series composer: Ao Jyumonji
Source: Original
A world where fairies possess and reside within animals, granting them special powers. By surgically removing and transplanting the organs of a possessed animal into a human, humans can partially summon the fairy and use it as a weapon. Eventually, such individuals were used for war, and were called “Fairy Soldiers.” After a long war, these soldiers lost their purpose, and had to reintegrate into society. From the government, to the mafia, and even becoming terrorists, each tread their own path.
The story begins nine years after the end of the war, and centers on the protagonist Maria. Maria is a fresh recruit of “Dorothea,” an organization dedicated to the investigation and suppression of fairy-related crimes and incidents. Even in peacetime, the government is still unstable after the war. Many criminals still have lingering wounds from the previous conflict, and there are terrorist groups bent on revenge. This is the story of Fairy Soldiers seeking their own justice in a chaotic postwar world.

Wooper: The term “P.A. Works original series” doesn’t carry the clout that it once did, but at least they try every year to leave a distinct impact on the anime ecosphere, rather than acting as shills for mobile games or bad LNs. Their recent string of failures could potentially be snapped by Fairy Gone, which will be overseen by the director of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Drifters, two stylish action series that seem pretty far-removed from PAW’s usual fare. Their last supernatural beat-em-up was Sirius the Jaeger, which was mediocre, but Masahiro Andou’s more reserved work on that series may have limited its potential. Andou had worked with P.A. Works multiple times in the past, but Kenichi Suzuki comes from outside their stable, and his commitment to heightened reality might give Fairy Gone the edge it needs to succeed on a wider scale. Hopefully his style isn’t smothered by the studio’s demand for visual consistency – I’m betting that’s how things will play out, but if not, we might have a good show on our hands.

Fruits Basket (2019)

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Studio: TMS Entertainment
Director: Yoshihide Ibata
Script/Series composer: Taku Kishimoto
Source: Manga
After a family tragedy turns her life upside down, 16-year-old high schooler Tooru Honda takes matters into her own hands and moves out…into a tent! Unfortunately for her, she pitches her new home on private land belonging to the mysterious Souma clan, and it isn’t long before the owners discover her secret. But, as Tooru quickly finds out when the family offers to take her in, the Soumas have a secret of their own–when hugged by the opposite sex, they turn into the animals of the Chinese Zodiac!

Mario: Fruits Basket is amongst the list of all-time shoujo classics at this point, one that I still haven’t read the manga or watched the original anime yet. It’s reported that the mangaka Natsuki Takaya hated the first anime adaptation to the point that she wanted new blood and a new studio to complete her story. I think the lack of knowledge towards this classic work is for my benefit this time, as I can judge it based entirely on its merits and don’t have to compare it with the original version. The status of the source certainly helps raise it into “must-watch” territory, although remakes and retold versions of old classics aren’t always all that successful (Kino’s Journey, Berserk or this season’s Boogiepop Phantom). Proceed with caution.

Gunjou no Magmel

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Studio: Studio Pierrot
Director: Hayato Date
Script/Series composer: Chuji Mikasano
Source: Manga
One day in the middle of the pacific ocean a miracle occurred, a new continent appeared out of nowhere! The new continent was the home for new and mysterious plants, creatures and minerals! Humanity is excited as the age of exploration has returned.

Mario: Studio Pierrot mostly attracts negative reputation now, but maybe like Tokyo Ghoul this manga adaptation can prove to be popular. The story has a nice sense of adventure, and based on the first chapter I’ve read it’s fun and mostly works so far. The PV displays some nice visuals, and if they nail the background set design it would be memorable. The director worked for a Naruto movie and many shounen titles so he’d be comfortable adapting this one. While I don’t think it’s my kind of show, I believe this one will be one of the more popular shows in this season.

Hitoribocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu

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Studio: C2C
Director: Takefumi Anzai
Script/Series composer: Jukki Hanada
Source: Manga
Hitori Bocchi suffers from extreme social anxiety, she’s not good at talking to people, takes pretty extreme actions, is surprisingly adept at avoiding people, her legs cramp when she overexerts herself, gets full of herself when alone, will vomit when exposed to extreme tension and often comes up with plans. Now she is entering middle school and her only friend, Yawara Kai, is attending a different school. This leaves Bocchi alone, surrounded by new classmates with whom she must make friends before Kai will talk to her again.

Wooper: Hitoribocchi is a much fluffier version of something like Welcome to the NHK or Watamote. Rather than plunging into the darkly humorous depths of social anxiety like those series, this one allows its awkward main character to stumble her way into a lasting friendship by the end of the first chapter. It’s a 4-koma manga, so you can’t expect too much narrative complexity, but the main character’s goal is to make friends with ALL of her classmates. “Uncomplicated” is a good way to describe this series, but it’s also cute and sunny. The main reason I was interested enough to give the manga a try is that the anime will be written by Jukki Hanada, who did script work for K-On!! That show’s second season is held up as a shining example of 4-koma adaptation, so lightning may strike a second time if we’re lucky. C2C isn’t the biggest or trustiest studio, but their recent SukaSuka received a warm reception, and Bocchi is a simple series to begin with. I think there’s reason for CGDCT fans to be optimistic here.

Isekai Quartet

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Studio: PuYUKAI
Director: Minoru Ashina
Script/Series composer: Minoru Ashina
Source: Original
A mysterious switch appeared one day. Upon pressing it, they were sent to a different alternative world!! There are also characters from other alternative worlds gathered together…!?

HelghastKillzone: The crossover that no one asked for but everyone still wants to see, it takes four of the most popular isekai shows of Konosuba, Re:Zero, Overlord and Youjo Senki and smushes them together. It’s produced by studio PuYUKAI, who are no stranger to the material of each of the four universes as they are responsible for creating the supplementary short series that accompanied the main anime with extra or unnecessary details or jokes. Coming in at twelve minutes per episode, it’s a decent amount of material to go through but I wouldn’t expect anything amazing out of it with the low-budget flat 2D animation. At best, it would probably be good for a chuckle or two.

Kono Yo no Hate de Koi wo Utau Shoujo YU-NO

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Studio: feel.
Director: Tetsuo Hirakawa
Script/Series composer: N/A
Source: Visual Novel
Takuya Arima is a young student whose father, a historian who has conducted various researches, disappeared recently. During a summer vacation Takuya receives a peculiar package from his missing father, along with a letter containing information about the existence of various parallel worlds. At first Takuya doesn’t take it seriously, but soon he realizes that he possesses a device that allows him to travel to alternate dimensions. Is his father alive, after all? If so, where is he?

Mario: Behold! Parallel worlds. Father’s spirited away. I was envisioning a much more serious version of it (waving at you RErideD), until I watched the PV and my expectations were flipped around. Apparently it’s set in high school (because WHY NOT) where the main dude meets several girls before he sees their alternative selves in another world or something. Which is fine by me. When it becomes like a harmless harem with a bit of sci-fi twist, at least it’s fun to watch. And since the anime world is dominated by isekai shows right now, a Visual-Novel isekai-ish adaptation like this might add something slightly different to our world view. I mean, trash anime can be entertaining to watch on its own.

One Punch Man 2nd Season

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Studio: J.C. Staff
Director: Chikara Sakurai
Script/Series composer: Tomohiro Suzuki
Source: Webcomic/Manga
The second season of the acclaimed One Punch Man. Authored by Webcomic Artist ONE, and then adapted into Manga by Yusuke Murata.
Saitama is a guy who’s a hero for fun. After saving a child from certain death, he decided to become a hero and trained hard for three years. Though he’s now so strong he can defeat any opponent with a single punch, lately he feels as if, in exchange for overwhelming power, he’s lost something even more important.

Aidan: Undoubtedly one of the highly anticipated sequels to the first season, which was a popular animation showcase while being a funny and fun look into the boredom of absolute power. Many had hopes for this series and from someone who has read both the original ONE comic and Murata’s remake of it, I can say that the source material for this remains strong. If anything, the disconnected stories of the first season are traded in for a more ongoing narrative. Yes the source remains good, but that is not the problem here. I am certain that with the announcement of a second season that many rejoiced at it but when it was revealed that the second second would not be animated by Madhouse but instead by JC Staff. To make matters more concerning, the director who is responsible for pulling in the talent that made the first season so dazzling animation wise has not returned for this season. The animation was a big part of the first seasons appeal so with these revelations i prepared myself for a significant drop in animation quality. But seeing the latest PV of One Punch Man season 2 has confirmed all my worst fears. The new director doesn’t inspire much confidence to refute those fears as it seems he has been an animation director for some Naruto movies but everything else he has done is rather underwhelming. So what we have here is a case where the story is going to need to fill the hole left by the downgrade in visual spectacle. Personally, while I vouch for the quality of the story I doubt it can carry its lesser presentation, but by all means I would love to be proven wrong.

Shingeki no Kyojin 3rd Season: Part II

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Studio: Wit Studio
Director: Masashi Koizuka
Script/Series composer: Yasuko Kobayashi
Source: Manga
The second cour of Shingeki no Kyojin’s third season.

Mario: The Titan train is back in full force. While I’d say that the sequels can never quite capture the massive crossover hit that was the first season, I’d rate the first cour of the third season on par with Attack on Titan’s best moments. This season will focus on The Return to Shiganshina arc and Marley War arc where it switches focus from the survival aspect into a more political war affair. After a year long break I’d expect the production values to be solid, and maybe they could replicate the awesomeness of Levi’s alley chase. Wit Studio, I have full faith in you.

Ultraman

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Studio: Production I.G/ Solar Digital Arts
Director: Kenji Kamiyama/ Shinji Aramaki
Script/Series composer: N/A
Source: Manga
Decades ago, a being known as the Giant of Light joined Shin Hayata of the Scientific Special Search Party to save Earth from an invasion of terrifying monsters known as Kaiju. Now, many years later, those dark days are fading into memory, and the world is at peace. But in the shadows a new threat is growing, a danger that can only be faced by a new kind of hero – a new kind of Ultraman…
Shinjiro is an ordinary teenager, but his father is the legendary Shin Hayata. When he learns that his father passed on the “Ultraman Factor” to him, and that he possesses incredible powers, nothing will ever be the same again.

Mario: Ultraman is the second “original” Netflix anime of this season (along with 7 Seeds), and this looks to be a promising one. The revival, or more correctly, the re-imagination of old popular superhero franchises has been quite a success: Gatchaman and Gridman offered some fresh takes on traditional superhero action fare, and I expect Ultraman to be the same. First, the source manga received enthusiastic reception back when it was first published. And secondly, the directors. Kenji Kamiyama is no stranger to us as he directed Ghost in the Shell SAC and Eden of the East, and Shinji Aramaki is not only a talented mecha designer in his own right but also the creator behind Megazone 23. With creative forces this formidable I have a pretty high hopes for this one, even if it’s another 3D CGI anime. Yeah I have a mixed experience with full CG anime so far and the PV sadly falls into the meh side. But that’s the only one tiny little nitpick I have for this show so far.

Series we’re looking forward to

Carole & Tuesday

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Studio: Bones
Director: Shinichiro Watanabe
Script/Series composer: Aya Watanabe
Source: Original
Fifty years have passed since mankind began migrating to Mars in an age where most culture is produced by AI, and people are content to be passive consumers.
Carole is a girl scrapping a living in the metropolis of Alba City where she works part time while trying to become a musician. She’s always felt like something is missing. Tuesday is another girl who is born to a wealthy family and dreams of becoming a musician, but nobody around her understands. She feels like the loneliest person in the world.
A chance meeting brings them together. They want to sing. They want to make music. Together, they feel like they just might have a chance. The two of them may only create a tiny wave. But that wave will eventually grow into something larger…

HelghastKillzone: From the director of Cowboy Bebop, Kids on the Slope, Zankyou no Terror and Space Dandy, Shinichiro Watanabe is back with a brand new show about rediscovering the joys of music in a world where the AI hasn’t gone Skynet and is merely content with providing the rest of humanity with cookie-cutter entertainment. Announced already for two full seasons, this looks to be an merger between his well-known sci-fi universes and the more experimental musical shows of Kids on the Slope. Surprisingly, Yoko Kanno isn’t composing the soundtrack to Carole and Tuesday and it’s going to be interesting to see how Watanabe fares without his ace in the hole when the music is going to be such a huge component.

Kimetsu no Yaiba

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Studio: ufotable
Director: Haruo Sotozaki
Script/Series composer: N/A
Source: Manga
The setting is Taisho era Japan. Tanjirou is a kindhearted young boy who lived peacefully with his family as a coal seller. Their normal life changes completely when his family is slaughtered by demons. The only other survivor, Tanjirou’s younger sister Nezuko, has become a ferocious demon. In order to return Nezuko to normal and get revenge on the demon that killed their family, the two of them depart on a journey. From a young talent, an adventure tale of blood and swords begins!

Lenlo: Hello, my name is Lenlo, and I am Shounen Trash. This is Kimetsu no Yaiba, Demon Slayer, a Shounen made by Ufotable. Before seeing the PV, that fact alone was enough to catch my interest. Ufotable has been pumping out Fate adaptations for almost 7 years now and, visually at least, they are all fantastic. Even when they don’t make Fate, something like Katsugeki Touken Ranbu (I reviewed that one too, check it out) comes along, and still looks fantastic. So if nothing else, Yaiba is going to be visually beautiful. What has me excited for Yaiba though is that it’s based on an actually decent manga and not a VN/Gacha game. With a legitimate story to work with, Ufotable has the chance to pick themselves back up after the slip that was Ranbu. My only fear for this the 3rd Heaven’s Feel movie that is currently in production as well taking away from Yaiba. Similar to how the My Hero Academia movie took away talent from its 3rd season. Still, on studio/premise alone, I think this is worth checking out.

Mix

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Studio: Oriental Light and Magic
Director: Odahiro Watanabe
Script/Series composer: Atsuhiro Tomioka
Source: Manga
“MIX” takes place 26 years from the story “TOUCH”. From the legend left by the hero of “TOUCH”, Tatsuya Uesugi, Meisei Academy High School was well known for their strong baseball team. 26 years from their glory, the team has not been able to keep their record and lost their fame. “MIX” is about two stepbrothers, Soichiro and Toma Tachibana. The two aim to revive of the once strong Meisei Academy’s baseball team and enter the National High School Baseball Championship. Soichiro and Toma were second years in Meisei Academy Middle School. Both boys are talented baseball players. Soichiro has shown excellent skill as a catcher and batter. Though having an extraordinary skill as a pitcher, Toma no longer pitches due to a “certain reason.” Once he two enter High School, they pair as a battery and aim to enter the National High School Baseball Championship! The passion and devoted emotions will touch your heart! “MIX” is an high school baseball drama that all ages and genders can enjoy!

Wooper: Cross Game is my favorite anime of all time, so an adaptation of another baseball manga by the same author falls squarely within in my strike zone. As the summary says, it’s a sequel to Touch, which received a tremendously popular adaptation in the mid-80’s. In fact, Touch may be the most enduring baseball series Japan has ever produced, even topping the likes of Major. Mitsuru Adachi’s stories tend to be slow-moving and subtle, but they hit like trucks whenever tragedy strikes (as it inevitably does in his works). Critics will tell you that if you’ve seen one Adachi series, you’ve seen them all – and while I don’t think that’s entirely true, he definitely has a favorite set of themes from which he rarely departs. The upside of this fixation is his resulting mastery of patient storytelling, so if you’re looking for a sports story that values its characters above all else, give Mix a spot on your spring roster. (Or better yet, go watch Cross Game. It’s a damn good anime.)

Sarazanmai

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Studio: MAPPA
Director: Kunihiko Ikuhara
Script/Series composer: Kunihiko Ikuhara
Source: Original
The stage is Asakusa. One day, three 2nd-year middle school students — Kazuki Yasaka, Tooi Kuji, and Enta Jinnai — meet a mysterious kappa-like creature named Keppi, who forcibly takes their shirikodama (a mythical organ kappa steal through a person’s anus) and transforms the boys into kappa.
Keppi informs them, “If you wish to return to your former selves, you must connect in ‘that way’ and bring me the shirikodama of zombies.” Will the three boys be able to connect as they steal shirikodama from zombies?! Meanwhile, two policemen — Reo Niiboshi and Mabu Akutsu — are up to something at the police box where they are stationed.

Mario: For me, Ikuhara is a mad genius amidst the anime world, so everything that comes from his hands will be high, sky-high on my list. This one promises to have many of his trademarks: a nonsensical plot (their souls taken from the butt, yeah!), heavily symbolism and distinctive visual designs. As in, the characters are all animated against a “live-action” background. It looks fantastic in the PV, but I’m not sure if it will become a distraction for a full length show. Highly-acclaimed as Ikuhara is (which also brings a fair share of naysayers), one aspect of his works that I really enjoy (and I hear very little mention about) is his weird sense of humor. I have a good laugh just by reading the synopsis, and I know his visual quirks will add to that even more. MAPPA is producing it but it’s the case where (along with Carole & Tuesday) the director’s reputation (and maybe ambition) means everything. Needless to say this is my top pick for the next season.

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Anime Movie Previews

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Anime Television Movies

Koutetsujou no Kabaneri Movie 3: Unato Kessen

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Studio: WIT Studio
Director: Tetsurou Araki
Script/Series composer: Tetsurou Araki / Ichiro Okouchi
Source: Original
Release Date: 10 May 2019
This “steampunk survival action” story takes place on the island country Hinomoto, where humans hide themselves in fortresses called stations against the threat of zombie-like beings with steel hearts known as “Kabane.” Only armored locomotives known as “Hayajiro” go between the stations. Taking place after six months after the original series, this is the direct sequel to Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress and is considered the middle volume of the franchise.

HelghastKillzone: Slated to be released on 10 May 2019 by Netflix and Amazon Prime, this isn’t one of those movies for which we’re going to have to wait half a year for the Blu-rays and subs to come out. I reviewed the original show back in 2015 and I thought that it had a simply amazing first half before devolving into a dumpster fire in the other half. The antagonist really derailed the character progression and made the plot go into a nosedive. Thankfully, it looks like the director is writing the script himself this time around, which should cut down the amount of bullshit that brought down the show a couple notches. Judging from the PV, if you love the first season’s setting and aesthetics, then the massive railway guns, new snowy locations, and WIT’s amazing animation for their action set-pieces should form a solid foundation for a worthy sequel.

Hibike! Euphonium Movie 3: Chikai no Finale

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Studio: Kyoto Animation
Director: Tatsuya Ishihara
Script/Series composer: Jukki Hanada
Source: Novel
The story of the film follows Kumiko Oumae as a second year high school student and the continuing adventures of the Kitauji High School concert band club as new members join and the group aims to take the gold at the National Championship competition.

Mario: This final installment of Sound Eupho is reported to have original content that details Kitauji High School aiming for the gold. I blogged the second season back when it aired, and at one point during my trip to Kyoto visited that mountain where Reina and Kumiko confess share intimate moments, so this franchise always has a special place in my heart. To see it end is a mixture of “yeah, this story deserves to have a proper ending” and “I still don’t want to see it gone” feelings. Kumiko has grown a lot in the latter half of the second season so it’s always a pleasure to see her back. Speaking of which, I still have no idea if this finale film will focus solely on Kumiko, or if it will focus on an ensemble cast in the same vein of season 1. In any case, I’m highly anticipating this.

Seishun Buta Yarou wa Yumemiru Shoujo no Yume wo Minai

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Studio: CloverWorks
Director: Souichi Masui
Script/Series composer: Masahiro Yokotani
Source: Light Novel
Release Date: 15 June 2019
Seishun Buta Yarou wa Yumemiru Shoujo no Yume wo Minai adapts volumes 6 and 7 of Hajime Kamoshida’s Seishun Buta Series light novels.

Mario: Bunny Girl Senpai took the world by storm this last fall season. Everyone I know fell in love with Mai and wanted to switch bodies with Nodoka (well, I’d love that too). This movie installment will focus one of of the last members of the female cast, Sakuta’s first crush Shouko, who’s also experiencing some form of Adolescent Syndrome. Now, despite my snotty remarks earlier I quite like Shouko the character and I’m intrigued about what really happened to her. And while I think this arc would fit better as an OVA, the fact that the franchise is popular enough to guarantee a theatrical release is something worth praising.

Girls & Panzer: Saishuushou Part 2

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Studio: ACTAS
Director: Tsutomu Mizushima
Script/Series composer: Reiko Yoshida
Source: Original
Release Date: 15 June 2019
Taking place after their tankery match against the university senshadou team, the Ooarai Girls High School go through another series of tournament to help one of the council members graduate.

HelghastKillzone: If you haven’t seen Girls un Panzer, then this is exactly the wrong place to start. Taking place after the Girls und Panzer der Film, this was supposed to be the second season where the the focus is no longer saving the aircraft carrier of a school but ensuring that Momo graduates high school through a series of tankery matches. First up is the French school and despite the World War Two surrendering memes associated with that country, it actually giving the Ooarai Girls High School a run for their money. Any more Girl un Panzer content is welcome but it’s taking part in a worrying trend where more and more anime like Youjo Senki and The Legend of the Galactic Heroes are opting to go for a movie format for their follow up sequels. Part one was released in Dec 2017 with part two set for a June 2019 release over eighteen months later which is simply far too long of a gap between releases.

Anime Movies Based on Existing Materials

Kaijuu no Kodomo

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Studio: Studio 4°C
Director: Ayumu Watanabe
Script/Series composer: N/A
Source: Manga
One summer vacation, Ruka meets two boys, “Umi” and “Sora,” whose upbringing contains strange and wonderful secrets. Drawn to their beautiful swimming, almost more like flying, Ruka and the adults who know them are intertwined in a complex mesh…
Meanwhile, an unexplained anomaly is occurring all over the world: fish are disappearing. Thus begins a marine adventure of boys and girls to captivate all the senses!

Mario: Another prestigious title (if I might say so) that is related to the blue sea theme, based on a well-received but under-the-radar manga about a kid meeting his supernatural friends. The fact that it’s told from a child’s point of view, and the fact that mysterious events occur afterward remind me of the charms of Penguin Highway, which for me is always welcoming. The teaser looks impressive enough, although I don’t expect it to have an all-around gorgeous visual look. The director is involved with all things Doraemon, plus Koi wa Ameagari and the smash hit Space Brothers, so he’s more than capable for this project. The lack of information about the film at this point (no name for writer attached, only one teaser so far) might suggest a later release, although they did confirm for an early June timeframe. With 5 volumes, it’s also a challenge to decide which parts to cut and how to tighten the plot, so it’ll be interesting to see if the film adapts the manga successfully.

Lupin the IIIrd: Mine Fujiko no Uso

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Studio: Telecom Animation Film
Director: Takeshi Koike
Script/Series composer: Yuuya Takahashi
Source: Manga

Mario: My very first reaction upon knowing that Mine Fujiko has another lead lead role is HELL YEAH! She’s a fascinating character and one that’s so in need of stepping out of Lupin’s shadow and receiving the spotlight. For anyone looking for another Sayo Yamamoto’s stylish and risque take on women’s empowerment, sadly I don’t think this will be the case. From the trailer it looks like a straightforward adventure with Mine Fujiko leading the case, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The director has Lupin the IIIrd: Jigen Daisuke no Bohyou under his belt so he’s more than familiar with the franchise, not to mention REDLINE. This looks like a worthy addition to Lupin’s long-standing franchise, but one that I don’t think can stay on top.

Birthday Wonderland

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Studio: N/A
Director: Keiichi Hara
Script/Series composer: Miho Maruo
Source: Novel
The story follows Akane, a girl with no self-confidence. On the day before her birthday, she meets a mysterious alchemist Hippocrates and their student Pipo, who both tell her they’re on a mission to save the world. Together, they set out from the basement for “Wonderland,” and Akane finds herself labelled Wonderland’s savior.

Mario: Well, the lack of the studio name involved certainly had me worried there, but the trailer looks rather impressive. Inspired “subtly” from Alice in Wonderland’s story, one of the things this movie has to nail is to display the fantastical eye-popping world of Wonderland, and the trailer already offers many stunning art designs. I quite like the CG character models as well so visually I’m pleased with it. The director is a movie veteran, having directed Summer Day with Coo, Colorful and Miss Hokusai and this looks to have at least the same level of ambition. Down the rabbit hole it goes.

Ta ga Tame no Alchemist

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Studio: Satelight
Director: Shoji Kawamori
Script/Series composer: Toshizo Nemoto
Source: Video Game
The game is centered on seven characters themed around the seven deadly sins, and is set on the continent of Babel, where the Tower of Babel looms large over seven nations. After the invention of alchemy led to its use as a tool of war that brought humanity to the brink of extinction, the seven nations struck an uneasy peace that led to a prohibition on alchemy for hundreds of years since. In the Continental Year 911, the nation of Lustrice broke the pact by assembling an army bolstered by alchemy, with ambitions of conquest over the continent. Led by Envylia, the six nations allied and struck down the rogue nation, casting alchemy once again to darkness. But 20 years after the war, alchemy once again begins to cause chaos in the land.

Mario: Hmmm, I don’t really feel enthusiastic towards this one. First, fantasy isn’t my favorite genre, and second, the source material isn’t that good based on what I heard. The story is a vessel for bringing many skilled but tropey characters together, and it seems like it’s a more action-based film for me. The production is alright, but to be fair too many explosions don’t excite me much. This one is a skip for me.

Original Anime Movies

Promare

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Studio: Trigger
Director: Hiroyuki Imaishi
Script/Series composer: Kazuki Nakashima
Source: Original
Release Date: May 2019
Galo and the Burning Rescue Fire Department face off against BURNISH, a group of mutants who are able to control and wield flames, and the fire disaster they have unleashed on Earth.

HelghastKillzone: Imaishi has been responsible for some of the craziest and hypest shows such as FLCL, Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill and now he’s back to direct another feature. Unfortunately, this is only a movie as opposed to a full TV series so there isn’t going to be as much content for fans to chew on but it still looks like a wild ride. Utilizing a intense blend of 3DCGI, it is a departure from their traditional 2D animation but retains that Trigger look as the main characters looks like Kamina reincarnated into a firefighter with the antagonist being a green-hair blend of Satsuki/Ryuko piloting a warframe. While the movie may just be a mashup of all their greatest hits covered up with a fire department paint job, considering their shows have propelled them to anime rock star status, it might not be such a bad thing.

Pandora to Akubi

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Studio: FLAG and Tatsunoko Production
Director: Jun Soga
Script/Series composer: N/A
Source: Original
The anime features Akubi from Tatsunoko’s Hakushon Daimaou TV anime and Pandora from XFLAG’s Monster Strike smartphone game, which also has its own web anime adaptation. Akubi appears in the original Hakushon Daimaou anime from 1969 as the daughter of the titular genie Hakushon. This October marks the 50th anniversary of the franchise. Pandora is a “girl of wishes” from the Monster Strike smartphone game, who has appeared in the anime adaptation as a mischief maker.

Mario: Looks like this is going to be a mash-up children’s anime with characters that come from old classic franchises. The art certainly had me sold here, with cutesy, expressive designs and bright visuals. But the lack of a “coherent plot” might hurt this anime, since it feels more like a vessel for staff members to go wild with animation than it has anything to do with story. Well, children’s movies doesn’t really require neat writing as long as the art is eye-popping, which is the case here. The anime will be a two-part movie, with subtitles Kouya no Juugeki-sen (Gun Battle on the Wildness) and Seirei to Kaijuu no Machi (Street of Spirits and Monsters) respectively, that will premiere in Japanese theaters on April 5.

Hakubo

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Studio: Twilight Studio
Director: Yutaka Yamamoto
Script/Series composer: Yutaka Yamamoto
Source: Original
Hakubo follows youths living in “the now and present” in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011

Mario: Isn’t it nice to have an whole studio named after the first anime they produce (Hakubo means Twilight)? Hakubo promises to be a personal, quiet tale about young people who keep living their lives after tragedies strike. It seems like a passion project for the director Yutaka Yamamoto, who directed Fractale and Kannagi before. Controversies surround him (regarding debts), which might affect the schedule (and hopefully not the quality) of this project. Looking at the trailer, it’s more adept at background designs that create certain a melancholy mood than character’s movements or their designs (they look dark with unnatural lighting). More than any other movie in this section, this one has very low hype, it’s not a flashy project by any means, but you shouldn’t disregard it based on that fact alone.

Laidbackers

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Studio: Studio Gokumi
Director: Hiroyuki Hashimoto
Script/Series composer: Makoto Uezu
Source: Original
In order to take over her grandmother’s Dagashi store, art student Kumi Honamanuma moved to Kyoto. She met Harami Mino, K Kusanagi, Mai Haisaka, and a dog who lives in the store, which supposed to be empty. Kumi ended up living with these girls, who claim that they are heroes reincarnated to contemporary period to chase after the demon king. Harami and others seem to live in a peaceful life with no missions to to do anymore, Ran, who was demon king in the past and appears to be an elementary school girl from failing to reincarnate, one day. The story begins with Ran requesting to collect demon king’s fragments.

Mario: I have been keeping an eye on this one since it was first announced. Laidbackers is a “reverse isekai” theatrical anime film about a group of heroes from a magical land who try to take it easy when they are reincarnated as ordinary people in modern Japan. The concept has the same nonsensical fun of The Devil is a Part-Timer (without the meta, pop culture jokes) and the character designs remind me a great deal of Flip Flappers. The visuals look refreshing and it’s already promising to be light-hearted and lots of fun. The director worked mostly as a key animator before raising his rank as director of cute girls shows with “surprisingly” (understandably so) expressive animation: Is this Order a Rabbit and Slow Start. While this certainly is not the heavyweight of this year anime feature-wise, it might become one of those hidden gems that attract a small but passionate crowd.

Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara

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Studio: Science SARU
Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Script/Series composer: Reiko Yoshida
Source: Original
The story centers on the relationship between Hinako, who has moved to a coastal town upon entering university and Minato, a young firefighter with a strong sense of justice. Hinako loves surfing and while fearless on the sea, she’s still uncertain about her future. Following a fire mishap in the town, Hinako and Minato encounter each other. As they spend more time surfing together, Hinako feels drawn to Minato, who dedicates himself to help others.

Mario: Well, well. Say hello to my most anticipated anime feature not only this season but of the whole 2019 year, not only anime but all animated films. When you think about it, it’s mind blowing that we have 3 colossal, most original anime directors (Yuasa, Ikuhara, Watanabe) releasing their projects around the same time. This anime makes it the second ocean-related anime movie of this season, and also the second consecutive ocean-themed film Yuasa has directed. The visual from the PV might appear as his most ordinary-looking project to date (that says a lot), but just by the trailer it already produces a nice atmosphere like a calm wave asking us to join in. Even more surprising is the involvement of Reiko Yoshida as writer, a veteran who is mostly known for her collaboration with Naoko Yamada. Just for movies alone, she’s the one who was responsible for A Silent Voice and Liz and the Blue Bird, as well as Yuasa’s Lu Over the Wall. It has a June 21st release, which might suggest that it will play around the festival circuit (most notably, Annecy in June where he first announced the project and even Cannes in May) before the release and hopefully I can get a chance to watch it and enjoy it in France.